Page 12 - W M Donald Newsletter - Edition Twelve

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Kevin Urquhart is Construction Director for Barratt & David Wilson Homes North Scotland. Kevin has worked for Barratt since leaving school over twenty-six years ago. He is an enthusiast and advocate for training, personal development and careers in construction.
What made you choose to go into the building industry when you left school?
To be fair, I didn’t really make the choice, it was largely down to my Dad.
Like most kids, when I left school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. My Dad was a joiner and he emphasised the importance of learning a trade so that I would have something to ‘fall back on’ should I choose to pursue some of my more unrealistic ‘career’ choices such as farming. So, I joined Barratt as an apprentice joiner and have been here ever since!
Have you always worked in the north of Scotland?
After working on the tools for several years I progressed through the ranks at Barratt and became a site manager, contracts manager, construction manager and, eventually, Construction Director.
When the financial crisis struck at the end of the noughties, I worked for Barratt on a project in London for a year which I really enjoyed. Other than that, I have always worked across the north of Scotland: Inverness, Aberdeen, Tayside, Perth and all points inbetween.
As a member of CITB’s National Council for Scotland, you must have a particular interest in training and skills?
Training and skills are critical to so many aspects of the construction sector. They contribute to the delivery of a quality product for house buyers, the health and safety of everyone onsite and, at the individual level, to a career path within the sector for those that want it.
In Barratt & David Wilson North Scotland we take on around four apprentices every year and currently have a total of twenty-four. I know that W M Donald also has a very active apprentices programme.
As an industry, we have to get the message across that there are fantastic opportunities in construction. People will always need houses.
Whilst I am proud of becoming a member of the Chartered Industry of Building (CIOB) and achieving Chartered Construction Manager status, I still keep up all the various certificates I need to work onsite as a site manager. Whilst I spend much of my time in offices, my natural home is the construction site.
What changes have you noticed within W M Donald in the time you have worked with them?
I suppose I’ve worked alongside W M Donald on Barratt projects for around twenty years. I have to say, I am astounded at how much the business (W M Donald) has changed over that period, particularly over the past ten years or so.
From being relatively simple but effective and conscientious groundworkers, W M Donald has blossomed to become an employer of choice in the region.
Today, I see a business that has a hunger for innovation, a change leader. It has completely overhauled its approach to site supervision, and has a clear focus on sustainability and waste reduction. It remains, however, very much a ‘people-based’ business which clearly puts the safety and welfare of its employees first.
The BIG
Interview
Kevin Urquhart